The invention relates to a seat belt tensioner with a latching pawl which, after the end of a tensioning operation, locks a seat belt spindle of a seat belt system in the tensioned position by engaging in the teeth of a gearwheel connected to the seat belt spindle.
A seat belt tensioner of this type is disclosed in international PCT application publication WO 02/046005 A1, published Jun. 12, 2002 and incorporated by reference herein. This seat belt tensioner has a blocking device with a latching pawl, which is activated by means of an activating device. The activation takes place in such a manner that, after the end of a seat belt-tensioning operation, the latching pawl blocks the seat belt spindle of the seat belt system in the tensioned position by having the latching pawl engage in the teeth of a gearwheel that is connected to the seat belt spindle. To release the latching pawl, the gearwheel is first operated in the seat belt-tensioning direction of rotation so that the latching pawl can disengaged from the gearwheel. The latching pawl is subsequently pivoted away from the gearwheel.